Published: Friday, May 17, 2013 at 6:54 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, May 17, 2013 at 6:54 p.m.

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On Friday, the comedy starring Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Dan Aykroyd, Kathy Bates, Allison Janney, Mark Duplass and Toni Collette attracted a horde of onlookers during filming in downtown Wilmington, including a soon-to-be bride and her wedding party entourage who were preparing for a ceremony at the Brooklyn Arts Center.

The group watched as the granddaughter and grandmother duo – McCarthy and Sarandon – pulled a U-turn in a steel-blue Cadillac sedan in the middle of North Fourth Street about 4 p.m.

Whether the groom got his wish later was a mystery but the ladies soon tired of watching the actresses drive the same route over and over.

Although in the movie, Tammy (McCarthy) and her sassy, alcoholic grandmother (Sarandon) set off from Murphysboro, Illinois, at the start of their road trip, "Tammy" will film in Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Burgaw, Boiling Spring Lakes and Whiteville to take advantage of North Carolina's film incentives before the crew hits the road to Niagara Falls on June 25.

"Besides Wilmington being a great city, the other beauty about Wilmington from a film perspective is that you have a beach environment that looks one way, you have a small-town environment, you also have kind of a big-city feel and then you go a little bit farther inland and you could be anywhere in the country," executive producer Chris Henchy said. "The versatility of that is what is appealing to a filmmaker. You can shoot a lot of places in a 20-mile radius."

Well, except Niagara Falls.

"You can't fake that in Wilmington," said Henchy, who also has filmed HBO's comedy series "Eastbound and Down" in the region. "But you can get a lot of other looks here. Everybody always wants to make a great movie and a funny movie and one that everybody is proud of."

In real life, McCarthy is from Plainfield, Illinois.

But Henchy said Tammy's adventures aren't based on McCarthy's past experiences.

"It's just a great character and another one of her good strong character choices," Henchy said Friday afternoon on the set. "It's Melissa in rare form – unleashed – and her husband directing. We're laughing a lot on set."

In the comedy, McCarthy stars as a woman who has been fired from her fast-food job (Topper Jacks) and discovers her husband is cheating. The shake-up causes her to take to the road with her alcoholic, diabetic granny.

"Tammy falls on a series of hardships between work and relationships," Henchy said. "A lot of things come to a head and she decides: it's time to go. I think it's something that a lot of people experience living at home, living in their hometown, and wanting to break out. She reaches that point and it's on."

For Henchy, "Tammy's" timing in near perfect.

He and the "Eastbound & Down" team, including Danny McBride, will kick off the show's fourth season in Wilmington on May 28.

He and other producers typically stay at spots like the Blockade Runner and stop by Wrightsville's Tower 7 and Port Land Grille during their down time.

"We respect that place (Blockade Runner) – it's a great, fun vibe. The guys are all from North Carolina, so that makes it fun, too," he said.

Meanwhile, some of "Tammy" and "Eastbound's" other executive producers – Will Ferrell and Adam McKay – wrapped filming of "Anchorman 2" in Atlanta on Friday.

That crew was headed to New York and San Diego to shoot additional scenes for the news-anchor comedy, so it's unclear when Ferrell might pop up in the Port City next, Henchy said.

His wife, Brooke Shields, and daughters, however, will head down to the beach after school is out, so you might spot the actress about town soon.